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Wisconsin trucking company, affiliate brokerage file for bankruptcy

Both businesses join several sister companies in Chapter 11 filing

Caleb Revill
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Elite Carriers hauls general freight and paper products. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)
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Key Takeaways:

  • Elite Carriers and its affiliate ECI Inc., both trucking companies based in Merrill, Wisconsin, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
  • The companies, along with three other businesses owned by Kirk Ecklund, owe between $1 million and $10 million to creditors.
  • Elite Carriers has 29 drivers and 28 power units, operating in general freight and paper product transport.
  • Elite Carriers' bankruptcy filing lists significant liabilities to several creditors, including Pathward and Plymouth Lubricants, with unknown claim amounts.
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A Merrill, Wisconsin, trucking company and its affiliate brokerage business have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Elite Carriers and ECI Inc. filed for bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin on Wednesday.

The businesses join three additional companies owned by Kirk Ecklund to file for bankruptcy protection: KLE Equipment Leasing, Olson Equipment Leasing and Wausau Office Space.

According to the bankruptcy filing obtained by FreightWaves, Elite Carriers owes $1 million-$10 million in liabilities to one to 49 creditors. The company has $1 million-$10 million in assets.

Likewise, ECI owes $1 million-$10 million in liabilities to one to 49 creditors and also has $1 million-$10 million in assets.

Top creditors for Elite Carriers are Pathward in Franklin, Tennessee, and Plymouth Lubricants in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Amounts owed on both of these claims are listed as unknown. 

ECI’s top creditors are Peoplenet Communications Corp., located in Dallas, claiming $45,238; Trimble Transportation, located in Dallas, claiming $34,634; and EMH of Larsen, located in Neenah, Wisconsin, claiming $24,900.

According to SAFER data, Elite Carriers employs 29 drivers and operates 28 power units. The interstate transport hauls general freight and paper products.

Over the past two years, Elite Carriers has been involved in four crashes, one of which reported an injury.

Caleb Revill

Caleb Revill is a journalist, writer and lifelong learner working as a Junior Writer for Firecrown. When he isn't tackling breaking news, Caleb is on the lookout for fascinating feature stories. Every person has a story to tell, and Caleb wants to help share them! He can be contacted by email anytime at Caleb.Revill@firecrown.com.